Device for operating gate valves



Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,565,051 PATENT OFFICE.

ARNO BfiTTNER, OF SUDENBURG, NEAR MAGDEBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM: POL'IE, 0F MAGDEBURG, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING GATE VALVES.

Application filed December 27, 1924. Serial No. 758,378.

[0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARNo Bo'rTNER, a citizen of the German Republic, residing at 58 Helmstederstrasse, Sudenburg, near Magdeburg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Gate Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved device or means for operating a gate valve of the type comprising a body or gate composed of aplurality of cut-off plates adapted to be moved vertically and laterally towards and from the co-acting packing faces, and a threaded spindle adapted to be coupled, for the purpose of accomplishing the said lateral movements, with its nut temporarily by means of a claw or nose coupling and to be uncoupled therefrom by means of lifting rods orpins.

The object of my invention is to provide an operating device of the stated kind which is of simple construction so as to ensure prompt, effective and reliable operation.

With this object in view I mount and arrange the stated lifting rods or pins in a manner that the top ends thereof will immediately act upon the coupling member to dis engage the same, at the right moment, from the nut when, on turning the handle of the nut, the rods are caused to ascend onto the summits of noses or tappets of a cam I provide for the purpose below the nut.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and showing for purposes of exemplification a preferred form and manner in which my invention may be embodied and practiced, Figure 1 is a sectional view and Figure 2 is an elevation of the operating device with the spindle and the nut or its handle coupled together; and Figure 3 is a similar view as Figure 2 with the parts uncoupled and the spindle in an upper position.

The slide or valve body properly speaking and the valve case are not shown in the drawings since they are of conventional construction. Parts which are repeated in the several figures bear the same reference char acters in each case.

The spindle a carries a nut g forming the hub portion of a hand-wheel b, as usual, and to the lower end of the spindle the slide or valve body (not shown) is attached in the usual manner so that description thereof is unnecessary. Rig-idly connected with the upper end of the spindle a is a head 0 having a short cylinder or sleeve d, fitted thereon to be freely displaceable in the direction of its axis but rotatable therewith, a coiled spring 6 being inserted into the annular space between the inner face of the sleeve d and the outer face of the head 0 so as to bear against the enlarged bottom portion al of the sleeve (Z. The other end of the spring bears against a cap nut 70 loosely fitted in the sleeve and screwed onto the upper extremity of the spindle a, whereby any movements of the sleeve (Z in the direction of the axis of the spindle will be controlled by the spring 6. It will be'seen that the sleeve cl is thus yieldingly supported by the head 0 and the cap nut is, and that the action of the spring (2 can be adjusted by means of the cap nut is.

The enlarged bottom end al of the sleeve (Z is provided with two diametrically opposed claws or lugs f projecting therefrom in a direction parallel to. the axis of the spindle a in order to engage in two corresponding recesses g cut in the upper face of the nut g. The nut or hub portion of the hand wheel I) is bored at two diametrically opposed points in the direction of the axis of the spindle a for the reception of two pins h adapted to slide in the bores and normally lying with their upper end faces flush with the bottom faces of the grooves or recesses 9 while the lower ends of the pins h bear against or rest upon a stationary cam 2' provided in a horizontal plane below that of the hand wheel I) and having two curved tappets or noses i located diametrically opposed to each other in the path of the pins h, the arrangement being such that when the pins h ascend and reach the summit of the tappets, the lugs 7 will be out of engagement with the recesses 9 The operation of the device is as follows At the up and down movements of the slide or valve body on turning the hand wheel 6 in the one or the other direction, the spindle a performs rectilinear movements only in vertical direction, stops being usually provided within the valve case for preventing the spindle from rotation, as will be known to persons versed in the art, so that a description thereof is not deemed necessary.

Supposing the slide or valve body is lllll (ill operated for closing the valve, then the head 0 will come in contact with the nut or hub of the hand wheel, while at the same time the slide or valve body has reached its abutment at the bottom'of the case and the spindle'has disengaged from the said stops, the coupling lugs or noses f engaging at that time in the recesses 57 of the nut or hub. The spindle a thus is coupled with the nut 9 so as to rotate therewith as the handwheel 6 is further rotated whereby the cuton" plates forming the valve body are forced in a lrnoa n manner towrds and onto their seats. During such rotation the pins 72. provided in the nut or hub of the hand-wheel slide over or on the cam 2' without heing lifted th latter.

in of opening the valve the hand wheel 5 and consequently also the spindle a l coupled with the wheel or the nut forma partof the wheel, are turned in the opposite direction until the pins 72, have reached the summits of the tapp'ets i whereby the cut-off plates are disengaged from their seats. In the upper or elevated position shown in Figure 3 the pins h enter into the recesses g inorder to disengage'and lift therefrom the lugs or noses f and the sleeve (5 integral therewith, against the action of the coiled spring 0, whereby the coupling of the spindle with the nut or the hand-wheel integral therewith, will be disconnected. In the meantime the spindle is again arrested by the hereinbefore stated stops in the case whereby, on a continued rotation of the hand-wheel, the spindle will be axially displaced in upward direction and the-cutoff plates of the valve will be carried along owing to their firm connection with the spindle.

The perpendicular length of the coupling lugs or noses 7 which project downwards from or beyond the botto 'n face of the abutting head atta'ched: to the upper end of the spindle a, is preferably equal to half the pitch of. the; spindle.

In operating the described device approximately one half revolution of the hand wheel only is required for closing or for opening the valve, whereas in the governing device hitherto used or suggested for controlling a valve of the type a full revolution or even several revolutions are required for the like purpose.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and eflicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the object of-my invention, but while the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood, that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such'changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

hat I claim is z 1. A valve operating device of the character set forth comprising a threaded spindle, a nut engaging said spindle to co-operate therewith and having recesses therein, a hand-wheel rigidly connected with the said nut, a sleeve on the end of said spindle and having lugs thereon which are adapted to cooperate with said recesses, lifting pins adapted to disconnect the lugs from the recesses, and a stationary cam cooperating with the said pins, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A valve operating device of the character setforth, comprising a threaded spindle, a nut engaging said spindle to co-opcrate fillet with and having recesses therein, a hand-wheel rigidly connected with the said nut,'a sleeve resiliently mounted on the top of the said sleeve and having lugs thereon which are adapted to cooperate with said recesses, pins slidably mounted in the nut, and a stationary cam mounted below the nut and adapted for cooperation with the said pins, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A valve operating device comprising a threaded spindle; a wheel and hub in thread ed engagement with and adapted to operate said spindle, said hub having recesses therein; a spring pressed sleeve on the end of said spindle having lugs thereon which are adapted to engage in said recesse's; and

means for disconnecting the lugs from the recesses in order that a rotation of the wheel will change a rotary movement of the spindle to a vertical movement.

4. A valve operating device comprising a threaded spindle a wheel and hub in threade'd engagement with and adapted to operate 'said spindle; a sleeve on the end of said spindle, said hub and sleeve being provided with lugs and recesses which are adapted to engage in each other; and means associated with said hub for disconnecting the lugs from the recesses in order that a rotation of the wheel w'i'll change a rotary movement of the spindle to a vertical movement.

5. A valve operating device comprising a threaded spindle; a hub in threaded engagement with the spindle for vertically moving. said spindle upon rotation of the hub to lower the valve, a sleeve on the spindle; and means for causing engagement between the hub and sleeve to rotatethe spindle.

6. A valve operating device comprising a screw threaded spindle and a handle therefor; a hub for said handle having internal screw-threads which are adapted to engage said spindle and having recesses therein; a spring pressed sleeve on the end of said spindle having'lugs thereon which are adapted toengage insaid recesses; a plurality of cams associated with said hub; and a plu rality of pins in said hub for disconnecting the lugs from the recess when actuated by said cams in order that a rotation of the wheel will change a rotary movement of the spindle to a vertical movement.

7. A valve operating device comprising a screw threaded spindle and a handle therefor; a hub for said handle having internal screw-threads Which are adapted to engage said spindle and having recesses therein; a spring pressed sleeve on the end of said spindle having lugs thereon which are adapted to engage in said recesses; a cam associated with said hub; and a plurality of pins in said hub adapted to cooperate with said cam for disconnecting the lugs from the recess in order that a rotation oi the wheel will change a rotary movement of the spindle to a vertical movement.

8. A valve opera-ting device comprising a threaded spindle; a wheel and threaded hub for engaging and operating said spindle, said huh having recesses therein; a sleeve on the end of said spindle having lugs thereon which are adapted to engage in said recesses; and means for disconnecting the lugs from the recesses in order that a rotation of the wheel will change a rotary movement of the spindle to a vertical movement.

9. A valve operating device comprising a threaded spindle; a hub in threaded engagement with the spindle for vertically moving said spindle upon rotation of the hub to lower the valve; and a sleeve on the end of the spindle which is adapted to engage the hub when the spindle reaches its lowest position in order to rotate the spindle upon rotation of the hub.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AERNO BOTTNER. 

